City employee disciplined for ‘borrowing’ tools

Posted
Thursday, October 6, 2011 1:00 pm

A 13-year employee of the Department of Public Works has been issued a “severe suspension” after his truck was stopped near Warwick Police headquarters containing about $2,000 of city equipment including a chain saw, assorted hand tools and cast iron pipe.

According to police reports, Detective Shaun Turcotte was conducting a surveillance of the city yard on Sandy Lane on Sept. 28 at about 8 p.m. when he saw a pickup, which was later identified as Kenneth Naylor of 14 Shady Hill Dr., West Warwick, approach the yard. Naylor allegedly unlocked the yard gate, entered and about 26 minutes later left the yard.

Naylor was then stopped on Veterans Memorial Drive near the police station. He told police he was coming from the city yard and was bringing articles in his truck to his residence.

Naylor said he was in the process of cleaning his yard and that the tools would be used for that purpose. He said the cast iron piping would be used to secure a sinking deck and spa and that a box of cloth rags found in a cardboard box labeled City of Warwick would be used to clean his truck.

Naylor, who consented to a search of his truck, told police it was normal operating procedure for him to borrow items from the city yard after consulting with his supervisor. In this instance, he said he did not consult with his supervisor. He offered no explanation how the pipes “were borrowed” if they were going to be used to hold up a sagging deck.

David Picozzi, acting director of the department, said there had been a practice of allowing personnel to use equipment on request, which has now been discontinued. He did not elaborate on the Naylor incident.

City Personnel Director Oscar Shelton said Naylor faces “severe suspension” and won’t be back at work for an extended period. He said the suspension was reached after talking with Picozzi and upon Naylor’s agreement that he would not grieve the action.

Also, Shelton said he has drafted a policy, which the department will implement, that DPW personnel face disciplinary action if found in the city yard between the hours of 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. without authorization.

Comments

He should be fired. Stealing from your employer is a terrible breech of trust. How many rags, pipes and other materials has he stolen over the past 13 years. This feeling of entitlement pervades the cities unions.

Yeah that guy shouda been fired. The Detective Tercot guy is awesome. He solved a crime for me. One time someone robbed my house and he found who did it. This must not have happened on a Sunday cuz he told me then he don't work Sundays. Anyway, he just did his job.

I'm not for the guy never getting another job. He just shouldn't work for the taxpayers again. He has violated the public trust, and for that he should his job. Avedisian needs union support, thats why this guy isn't being fired. Picozzi and Shelton need Avedisian to keep their bloated salaries. They are protecting Avedisian. If this guy hadn't been caught by an honest cop this would have been swept under the rug. No matter how you look at it, he's a thieving scumbag. Do you really think this is the first time he's stolen from the taxpayers.

I am very pro union, but it has to stop somewhere. He may have been caught, but he is not the only one why do you think there was a stake out. Now it's time to dig deep and find all the other things that are missing. The new car tax is probably going to pay for all the stuff anyway, and we the taxpayers get to fund it all.

Lets not blame the union for 1 bad apple. But Mr. Naylor should be tried in a court and charged with felony larceny a investigation should be held and not by the Warwick Police although there are some policemen/woman in the dept that do still have integrity, a complete adduit of all tools in the care of the DPW should be made and cross referanced with what has been purchaced and what has been taken out of service. Mr. Picozzi should also be investingated along with most of city hall including the Mayor This is truely a slap in the face to all Warwick taxpayers.I'm still waiting on your reply Mr. Picozzi about when i can come by the DPW and borrow a garbage truck!